Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsiTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Short answer: Data centers use water in two different ways. Direct use occurs at the facility, mainly for cooling; indirect use occurs when power plants consume water to generate the electricity the center buys. A 2024 Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) estimate puts direct U.S. data-center water consumption at 66 billion liters in 2023, but that is a modeled national estimate, not a sum of facility water meters. Whether a particular center threatens a local supply cannot be determined from a national number alone.
What the numbers mean before you compare them
Water statistics for data centers are easy to misread because they can describe different accounting boundaries. Start by asking three questions: Is the figure for water consumed on the site or water associated with electricity generation? Is it a withdrawal or consumption? Is it a measured facility total or a modeled estimate?
| Term | What it measures | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Direct (site) water consumption | Water consumed by the facility, commonly through evaporation in cooling equipment or other uses that do not return the water immediately to the same system. | This is the number most relevant to the center’s local water connection. |
| Indirect (source) water consumption | Water consumed by power generators supplying the electricity used by the center. | It depends on the regional grid mix and cannot be inferred from the building’s cooling system alone. |
| Withdrawal | Water taken from a utility, river, aquifer or other source. | Some withdrawn water is discharged or returned; withdrawal is not the same as permanent consumption. |
| Consumption | Water not returned to the immediate water cycle, often because it evaporates or is otherwise unavailable for prompt reuse. | Consumption is the more relevant measure for depletion concerns, but it still needs a local source, season and watershed context. |
LBNL reports site water-use effectiveness (WUE) in liters per kilowatt-hour of IT-equipment electricity use. A site-WUE value therefore describes direct facility water intensity, not the entire water footprint of the electricity supply.
Recommended Free Tools
How much water do U.S. data centers use?
Direct consumption in 2023
The 2024 United States Data Center Energy Usage Report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates 66 billion liters of direct water consumption in the United States in 2023. Hyperscale and colocation facilities represented an estimated 84% of that total. LBNL modeled facility types, cooling systems, locations and thermodynamic behavior; the figure is not a nationwide total assembled from publicly reported water meters.
#1 Best Overall
- Powerful Turbo Fan:CAGIWIRU Electric Air Duster have reached speed up to 130000RPM,Can efficient remove dust and debris.With LED light and Three Adjustable Speed to meet with different cleaning tasks.
- With Attached USB C Fasting Charging cable.Charing 3 hours,Enjoy up to 240 minutes of use on the lowest setting, For third speed can use for 25mins.with four charging options to meet with your needs.
- Wide Application: attached 5 different nozzles,making it suitable for a variety of scenes, such as car,pet, pc, keyboards, and other electronic devices. It also serves for office and home clean duster.
- Handy Design & Portable:Cordless air duster electric nozzle is Light weight and small size, design and comfortable to hold and space saving, convenient to carry around. You can put it in your room or inside the car without taking up space.
- Economical &Reusable: Built durable materials with a long-lasting battery,our CAGIWIRU air duster it's a sustainable alternative to disposable air cans.
For scale, 66 billion liters is 66 million cubic meters. Converting it to household or municipal equivalents can be misleading because local climate, water sources, return flows and seasonal demand differ. The useful interpretation is that U.S. data-center water consumption is large at national scale, while the burden is distributed unevenly among facilities and watersheds.
The 2028 hyperscale range
The same report projects 60–124 billion liters of direct water consumption by hyperscale facilities in 2028. This is a scenario range, not a metered total or a guaranteed outcome for any named campus. The range reflects uncertainty in future data-center growth, IT demand, facility locations and cooling choices.
What changed in the 2026 LBNL update?
LBNL’s United States Data Center Energy Usage Report: 2025 Update is dated June 2026 and updates electricity projections. Its surfaced abstract does not provide revised water totals. It should not be described as a new 2026 water forecast; the water figures above remain those published in the 2024 report.
Why do data centers use water for cooling?
Servers turn electricity into heat. That heat must be moved out of the computing space continuously, including overnight and during periods of low user activity. In a water-cooled chiller system, chilled water absorbs heat from the facility, a condenser loop carries heat to a cooling tower, and the tower rejects heat by transferring some water into the atmosphere as vapor.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) explains: “A cooling tower system by necessity uses an extensive amount of water because the warm water from the chiller’s condenser water loop is cooled by evaporating water into the surrounding atmosphere.”
Rank #2
- Screen Cleaner is Your Screen’s New Bestfriend! - EVEO is proud to present a screen cleaner that’s perfectly suited for your TV. Meet your new screen cleaner, computer screen cleaner, laptop cleaner, iPad cleaner, Macbook,tv cleaner or any other electronic device. Our screen cleaner spray and wipe along with the included plush microfiber cloth, easily removes dust, fingerprints & other smudges on the screen’s surface. Clean effectively for a streak-free screen
- Gentle on your Screens - Our screen cleaner spray and wipes is compatible to be used even for the most sensitive LCD, LED, CRT, and OLED screens in proper use. Be at ease knowing that this product is compatible with all the major brands: LG, SONY, Samsung, Sharp, iPad, iPhone, Android screens, Kindle, PC monitors - we’ve got you covered! Can be used as LCD screen cleaner, tv cleaner, smart tv screen cleaner, and more
- Premium Super Soft Plush Microfiber Cloth - Included in this efficient screen cleaning kit. This screen cleaner spray and wipe has our signature plush microfiber cloth specially designed to comply with screens and monitors and leave them streak-free. Has been shown to effectively absorbs stubborn stains, zero streaks, and no fiber shedding. Always use this together with our screen cleaner for the best results
- Easy-to-Use Screen Cleaner Kit + microfiber cleaning cloth - The EVEO Screen Cleaning Kit will easily be your new favorite tool when it comes to taking care of the things you love most, quick and easy solution for a streak-free screen. Simply screw on the sprayer gun on the screen cleaner bottle. Spray the cleaning liquid onto the microfiber cloth, then wipe the screen until desired cleanliness & shine is achieved.
- Quality Screen Care Kit Worth Purchasing - Enjoy a convenient Screen Cleaner anytime, anywhere you need it. Your satisfaction is our top priority. We stand behind the quality of our products and that’s why, you shouldn’t be worrying at all. We manufacture the Best Screen Cleaner. and can be used for laptop cleaning kit, laptop screen cleaner, tv screen cleaner for smart tv. MacBook screen cleaner, monitor cleaner or screen cleaner spray for electronic devices with microfiber cleaning cloth
Evaporation and blowdown
Evaporation is the main cooling-tower loss. As water repeatedly circulates, dissolved minerals become more concentrated. Operators remove a controlled portion of the circulating water, called blowdown, and replace it with make-up water. Blowdown limits scale, corrosion and biological problems; reducing it without appropriate treatment can damage equipment or compromise hygiene.
Water use is therefore not simply “the water inside the pipes.” It includes make-up water required to replace evaporation and blowdown, plus any other facility uses. A center may withdraw a larger volume than it consumes if some water is discharged or returned.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Which cooling systems use the most water?
There is no universal ranking that applies to every climate or operating design. The LBNL model includes nine cooling categories, and each trades water use against electricity efficiency, capacity, weather dependence and operational complexity.
| Configuration | Water characteristic | Important trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Water-cooled chillers with cooling towers | Usually higher direct water use because towers evaporate water and require blowdown. | Can deliver high efficiency and capacity, particularly where cooling loads are steady, but needs a dependable water source, treatment and discharge management. |
| Air-cooled chillers | Can minimize on-site water consumption because heat is rejected to air rather than an evaporative tower. | May use more electricity in hot conditions and can require more equipment or a larger footprint. |
| Air-side economizers | Can reduce mechanical cooling and associated water use when suitable outdoor air is available. | Availability depends on temperature, humidity, smoke, dust, pollution and filtration requirements. |
| Water-side economizers | Can reduce chiller operation under favorable conditions, with water use determined by the system design. | Requires compatible heat exchangers, controls and acceptable water quality and outdoor conditions. |
| Dry or adiabatic cooling | Dry operation can use little or no water; adiabatic assistance adds water during hot periods. | Water demand, efficiency and capacity vary with weather and the control strategy. |
| Liquid cooling at the rack or component | May change where heat is removed and can reduce fan energy; direct water consumption depends on whether the loop is closed and how heat is rejected. | Requires specialized distribution, maintenance and compatibility with servers and facility infrastructure. |
| Direct-expansion systems | Often avoid evaporative tower water at the site. | Performance and energy use depend on refrigerant equipment, climate and load profile. |
“Waterless” is not automatically “resource-free.” A design that avoids site evaporation may consume more electricity, and that electricity can carry indirect water consumption from the grid.
How is data-center water efficiency measured?
Site WUE is generally expressed as liters of site water consumed per kilowatt-hour of IT-equipment electricity use. The denominator matters: it is IT electricity, not necessarily the facility’s total utility bill. A lower value indicates less direct water per unit of computing electricity under the stated boundary, but it does not by itself prove lower total environmental impact.
Rank #3
- 【Large size】：Measuring 800 x 300 mm/ 31. 5×12 inches, which is wider and taller than others. Large mouse pad can perfectly fit your keyboard and mouse of any size, and there is also ample space for peripherals such as phones, tablets, etc.
- 【LED backlight mouse pad】：Blade Hawks RGB mouse pad provides 7 static modes and 7 dynamic modes will give you the options you are looking for. Power-off memory function remembers the last lighting mode you selected. The super glow fiber Chroma will give you a colorful gaming setup that you want.
- 【Anti-slip rubber base】：Made from Natural rubber, this gaming mousepad will firmly grip your desktop, allowing you to enjoy the ultimate precision in the games you are most passionate about. It also comes with a texture that enhances this ability even further.
- 【Smooth and waterproof surface】: Micro-textured cloth surface, for extremely precise mouse control and a smooth movement. When liquid splashes on the gaming mouse pad, it forms water droplets and slides down. Will not delay your work or gameplay.
- 【Plug and play】: This mouse and keyboard pad is powered by USB, plug and play, no driver required. One button control light modes. Press one time to change the lighting mode, press twice to change the brightness, press and hold about 3 seconds turn ON/OFF.
When comparing two facilities, request the same items for both: the WUE definition, measurement period, water sources, whether reclaimed water is included, whether consumption or withdrawal is reported, and the IT-energy denominator. A number without those qualifications can look precise while comparing unlike systems.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
How much water is tied to electricity?
Power plants can consume water for cooling and other generation processes. LBNL estimates that data-center electricity in 2023 was associated with an average 4.52 liters of indirect water consumption per kilowatt-hour. This is a national average based on grid and generation data at balancing-authority scale. It assumes the local grid mix and does not incorporate an individual facility’s power-purchase agreement or behind-the-meter generation.
Do not add 4.52 L/kWh mechanically to a site’s WUE and label the result a universal “total water per kWh.” The figures use different accounting boundaries and the 4.52 value is tied to the 2023 national electricity estimate. A meaningful combined assessment must state the time period, grid geography, generation assumptions and whether the electricity claim concerns delivered power, contractual procurement or physical generation.
Does AI use a lot of water?
AI can increase water demand when training or serving models requires more computing, more accelerators or higher utilization. But water use is not a fixed property of an “AI query.” The same task can have very different water intensity at different facilities.
A 2025 review by Nuoa Lei, Jun Lu, Arman Shehabi and Eric R. Masanet reports more than 10,000-fold variation in workload-level water use. It attributes that spread to more than 1,000-fold differences in water consumption per kilowatt-hour of server electricity and roughly 10-fold differences in workload efficiency. The review identifies server efficiency, grid water-consumption factors, server utilization, cooling type, infrastructure efficiency, climate zone, inactive-server percentage and refresh cycle as major determinants.
Rank #4
- 【Softer and More Comfortable】Vaydeer wrist rest has unique diamond pattern, which is the combination of softness and aesthetics. The materials of wrist rest are improved into higher quality memory foam and covered with silky smooth lycra. The computer wrist rest makes you as comfortable and cushiony as like rest your wrists on clouds.
- 【Ergonomic Wrist Saver】The wrist rests for keyboard and mouse comes with a 17.32×3.15×0.83 inch keyboard wrist pad and a 5.94×3.15×0.83 inch mouse wrist support. Based on ergonomic design, the unique concave shape is the perfect fit for your wrist joints. The wrist rest pad fits most computer keyboards and laptops, improve hand and wrist posture, release your wrist and arm stress.
- 【Non-Slip Rubber Bottom】Featuring an anti-skid silicone base on the bottom, this wrist keyboard support stays firmly in place on your desk, preventing the padding from sliding around, ensuring stable and consistent wrist support during extended computer sessions.
- 【Better Experience & Pain Relief】Our keyboard arm rest is beneficial to alleviate the soreness caused by direct contact and friction between your arm and a hard desk surface, reducing the risk of wrist fatigue or carpal tunnel. The soft texture of memory foam can evenly distribute the pressure around your wrists and provide good support with just enough give.
- 【Helpful in Multiple Scenarios】Whether you're working, studying, writing, typing, gaming, this keyboard and mouse rest combo is an essential accessory to add comfort and support to your hands and wrists. It’s also a great gift for men, women, family, friend, coworker, gamer, teacher, etc.
That evidence rules out a single reliable water-per-prompt number without detailed assumptions. To estimate an AI workload responsibly, specify the model and task, hardware efficiency, utilization, data-center location, cooling design, grid mix, infrastructure overhead and the period measured.
Can a data center affect a local water supply?
Yes, it can, but the answer is site-specific. A national estimate cannot show whether one facility is straining a nearby river, aquifer or utility. Local risk depends on the facility’s withdrawals and consumption by source and season, the water system’s available supply, competing users, drought conditions, discharge and reuse practices, and—if indirect water is counted—the electricity sources serving the site.
Evidence needed for a local assessment
- Facility demand: monthly or seasonal withdrawal and consumption, peak-day demand, cooling-tower make-up, blowdown and any non-cooling uses.
- Water source: municipal supply, groundwater, surface water, reclaimed water or a combination, including permits and allocation limits.
- Return flows: where discharged water goes, its treatment, temperature and quality, and how much is returned to the watershed.
- Community context: utility capacity, drought rules, reservoir or aquifer conditions, projected demand and other industrial, agricultural and household users.
- Electricity context: physical grid region and generation mix if indirect water consumption is included.
Season matters. A facility that fits within annual water availability may still increase stress during a hot, dry period when cooling demand and community demand peak together. Conversely, reclaimed water or a closed-loop design can change the local impact even when the site’s computing load is similar.
How to evaluate a facility’s water claim
- Identify the boundary. Ask whether the claim covers direct site consumption, withdrawal, indirect electricity water, or a combination.
- Check the metric and denominator. For WUE, confirm that liters per kilowatt-hour refers to IT-equipment electricity and note the measurement period.
- Request seasonal data. Annual averages can hide peak withdrawals and drought-period operations.
- Verify the source. Look for utility records, permits, water-management reports or regulator filings rather than an unsupported marketing figure.
- Trace water and discharge. Determine whether water is potable, reclaimed, groundwater or surface water, and where blowdown or treated effluent is released.
- Compare like with like. Match climate, IT load, utilization, cooling configuration and grid boundary before interpreting differences.
- Check future scenarios separately. A projected campus build-out or 2028 range is not current consumption.
What operators can do to reduce water use
FEMP identifies several operational measures, but their savings depend on climate, equipment limits, set points and operating hours:
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →- Adjust temperature and humidity set points within the server manufacturer’s and facility engineer’s approved guidance.
- Contain hot and cold air so supply and return air do not mix unnecessarily.
- Use air-side economizing when outdoor temperature, humidity and air quality permit it.
- Use water-side economizing when the heat-exchanger and control system are configured for that mode.
- Manage cooling-tower concentration and blowdown to control minerals without creating scale, corrosion or biological risks.
- Track make-up water, blowdown, leaks and discharge separately so a lower utility bill is not mistaken for lower consumption.
These are facility-operator measures, not household tips. Changes should be validated against server inlet temperatures, humidity limits, redundancy requirements, water chemistry and local regulations.
Best Value
- 【No Drill Mounted】Cable management tray can be assembled in as little as 3 minutes or less-simply. Side clips easily clampe the edge of desk, pass through the holes on the sides, and secure excess cables with baskets. Desk cable management supports inward or outward installation to meet your needs in different scenarios, and provides you with great convenience when collecting and organizing wires.
- 【Rubber Pad Protects Desk】Wire organizer under desk built-in soft rubber pads on the clamp protect your desk from scratches, so you will not damage your furniture or office.
- 【Sturdy and Beautiful】Cord management under desk is made of high-quality carbon steel and holds about 15 lbs. The wire basket has 2 holes on each side of the tray to enable your cables to pass freely. Cable baskets are suitable for desk thickness use from 0.4" to 2.4".
- 【Space Saving & Keep Organized】Desk cable management tray holds all your power cords, outlet strips, USB hubs and computer transformers hidden from your feet, and the data cables will not enter the vacuum cleaner to keep your desk clean and tidy. Desk wire organizer is also suitable for use in the kitchen and outdoors.
- 【Reduce Safety Risks】Cable tray under desk keeps all plugs away from your kids, no more worry about tripping. Using 2 holes wire tray saves extra space, helps you easily cabling and wire protection. The mesh design is not easy to accumulate dust, but avoids safety accidents caused by messy wires.
Is there one best low-water design?
No. The appropriate design depends on the site’s climate, cooling load, reliability target, water availability, air quality, energy prices and grid mix. Air-cooled equipment may reduce direct water use but increase electricity demand in a hot climate. Evaporative systems may be more energy-efficient yet place greater demands on local water supplies. Economizers can reduce mechanical cooling only during the hours when outdoor conditions are suitable. Liquid cooling can improve heat removal but still requires a reliable method to reject heat from the facility.
Use these comparison axes rather than a single “greenest” label:
- Direct site-water consumption and the source of that water.
- Indirect water associated with electricity supply.
- Energy use, cooling performance and capacity at peak conditions.
- Climate and the number of hours when economizing is possible.
- Water quality, air quality, treatment, discharge and operational constraints.
- Site-specific reliability, cost and permitting requirements, verified for the actual project.
What is Project Oasis?
A 2024 U.S. Department of Energy notice describes Project Oasis, a proposed feasibility project to investigate circulating water from abandoned underground mines in Virginia for data-center cooling. It is a proposal to test feasibility, not proof that the approach is broadly deployed, commercially available or suitable for every location. Any claim about its performance must wait for project-specific results.
Bottom line
Data centers do use water, especially facilities that reject heat through evaporative cooling towers, and their electricity supply can add a separate indirect water footprint. The best-supported U.S. estimate is 66 billion liters of direct consumption in 2023, with a modeled 2028 hyperscale range of 60–124 billion liters. Those figures describe national scenarios, not the impact of a particular campus. To judge local consequences, obtain facility-level seasonal withdrawals and consumption, identify the water source and return flows, examine watershed availability and competing demand, and state clearly whether electricity-related water is included.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
